Like everyone else, Ram knew that Ford is hiding the EcoBoost V6 under the hood of the all-new Raptor. Coincidence or not, Ram has also published a promo video of the TRX on the day of the Raptor’s unveiling.
“We weren’t content to merely find the edge. We pushed past it to places no other truck had gone. There’s no doubt others will try to follow,” said the Fiat Chrysler-owned automaker, referring to the F-150 Raptor R.
Coming next year as a 2022 model, the more extreme specification is expected with eight cylinders and a thumpin’ great blower supplied by the Eaton instead of twin turbochargers from BorgWarner. The 5.2-liter Predator V8 of the Shelby GT500 is the most likely candidate because it’s the only Ford-developed engine capable of squaring up to the Hellcat.
Until the inevitable happens, let us glance over a few notable specifications. For the 2021 model year, the EcoBoost V6-powered Raptor offers up to 15 inches (381 mm) of suspension travel with the 35-inch tires compared to 14 inches (355 mm) for the TRX. Level up to the 37-inch rubber shoes, and the Ford boasts 13.1 inches (332 mm) of ground clearance versus 11.8 inches (300 mm) for the Mopar machine.
The Blue Oval also has the upper hand over Fiat Chrysler in terms of approach, departure, and breakover angles at 33.1, 24.9, and 24.4 degrees compared to 30.2, 23.5, and 21.9 degrees, respectively. Given these figures, it’s easy to realize which Baja-style pickup is better off the beaten path.
Even though specifications are important, numbers on a piece of paper don’t tell the whole story. As much as I loathe Fiat Chrysler for the sub-standard build quality and woeful reliability, the TRX is the more exciting truck solely because of the engine. I mean, who could say no to that hellish V8?
It remains to be seen if Ford can do better with the Raptor R in this regard, but one thing is certain. At the 23-second mark of the following video, Ram clearly states that “we will always go farther.” On that note, want to bet a tenner that the Redeye or Super Stock option is coming next year?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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